Fishing sinkers

ABSTRACT

An elongated hollow tube has one flared end and an opposite conically shaped end. A rod extends axially through the tube with one end extending beyond the conically shaped tube end and having an eye. A lead weight is disposed within the tube adjacent the conical end. Tines extend through the flared end and guide grooves to a steel ring in the tube and slidable along the rod. A coil spring is disposed in the tube concentrically about the rod betwen disc and weight.

United StatesPatent 1191 Merrill May 29, 1973 [5 FISHING SINKERS1,172,780 2/1916 Ferree ..43/36 [75] Inventor: Richard L. Merrill g CityCalif. 1,583,795 5/1926 Pasturzak ..43/44.96

[73] Assignee: The Lee, Raymond Organization, Pri E; min r- Louis G.Mancene -1 New Attorney-Alan Harold Hedegard [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1971[57] ABSTRACT [21] App]. No.: 109,302

An elongated hollow tube has one flared end and an opposite conicallyshaped end. A. rod extends axially [52] U.S. Cl ..43/44.96 through thetube with one end extending beyond the [51] hit. Cl. ..A0lk 91/00conically shaped tube end and having an A lead [58] meld of 3 x weightis disposed within the tube adjacent the conical end. Tines extendthrough the flared end and guide grooves to a steel ring in the tube andslidable along [56] References Cited the rod. A coil spring is disposedin the tube concen- UNITED STATES PATENTS trically about the rod betwendisc and weight. 13,081 6/1855 Cook.... ..43/36 4 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures FISHING SINKERS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My sinker comprises ahollow elongated tube with one end having the shape of an outwardlyextending inwardly tapering cone, and with an opposite flared end. A rodextends axially in-the tube being secured at the flared end to a guideand extending through'the cone endto terminate in an eye adapted to besecured to the fishing line carried by a rod. Tines extend through theflared end of the tube into grooves in the side of the guide to besecured to a ring disposed in the tube and slidable back and forth onthe rod. A cylindrical weight 'bears against both weight and a disc.

My sinker uses the force of water against the rear of sinker to bury thetines into bottom of river, stream or ocean, therefore preventing itfrom being washed ashore. It allows the fisherman to keep his bait inthe exact area he wishes, even in swift water. In the event any one orcombination of tines become ensnared the fishing line attached to therod can be tightened to a predetermined amount retracting the tines intotube thereby releasing it from the ensnarement. When tension on the lineis released the tines once again extend and the sinker is again activeand retains itself to the bottom. The amount of tension required toretract the tines will be determined by thelength and strength of thecompression spring and the material of the tines. The smaller the sizeof spring steel used for the tines, the less tension required for themto retract into the tube. The flat tube end keeps the tines evenlyspaced. Another means of releasing the fishing sinker from itsensnarement is by pulling the fishing line until the tines are drawninto the tube, then quickly releasing the tension on the fishing line.This allows the spring to thrust the tines rearward and causes the tubeto jerk rearward, when the tines become fully extended, because of theirrearward momentum. The heavier the tines, the greater will be therearward momentum generated by this maneuver.

The body of the fishing sinker can be constructed with or without aflared end. Although a flared end seems preferred because of decreasingdrag on the tines.

The size and weight of present sinkers required to stay secured in fastwater make them easy to get ensnared and as a result most times lost.This is of great BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG.I is a perspective view of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and FIG. 4 is anexploded view of my invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS.1-3, a hollow elongated tube 10 has a front end 12 conical in shape anda flared rear end 14. A rod 18 extends axially within the tube with oneend extending out of end 12 and terminating in an eye 20 to' which afishing line can be attached. The other end of the rod is secured to thecenter of guide 16. The lower shoulder of the eye rests against end 12and acts as a stop to prevent guide 16 from coming out of flared end 14.Five tines 22 each pass through openings in the guide with eyes 34 atone end passing through ring 36 disposed in the guide.

A cylindrical lead weight 26 is disposed in the tube adjacent end 12 infixed position and has an axial bore 28 through which the rod extends. Acoil compression spring 30 is disposed in the tube concentrically aboutthe rod with one end of the spring bearing against the weight and theother end being secured to a washer 32, bearing against ring 36. Washer32 has an enlarged hole through which the rod extends to permit thewasher to move back and forth and is disposed between the spring andring to prevent binding. The guide is a solid with axial grooves 40running the full length. This keeps the tines equally spaced and guidesthem as they are retracted and extended. The guide is fixed to the rodby bradding or riveting. The flared end cuts down drag on the tines foreasier retraction and extension.

The sinker functions in the manner previously described.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

' 1. A sinker comprising:

a hollow elongated tube with one end having the shape of an outwardlyextending inwardly tapering cone and an opposite flared end;

a guide in said flared end and having grooves;

a. plurality of tines disposed partially outside the flared end andextending partially along said grooves into the tube interior; and

means disposed in said tube to spring bias said tines outward andrearward.

2. A sinker as set forth in claim 1 further including a weight disposedin the cone end and extending to a point intermediate the ends of thetube, said weight being fixed in position.

3. A sinker as set forth in claim 2 further including a rod extendingaxially through said tube from a point outside the cone end to theflared end, said tines being secured to a ring, said ring being in thetube and slidable back and forth along the rod.

4. A sinker as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means is a coil springdisposed concentrically about the rod and extending between ring andweight.

t t l t l

1. A sinker comprising: a hollow elongated tube with one end having theshape of an outwardly extending inwardly tapering cone and an oppositeflared end; a guide in said flared end and having grooves; a pluralityof tines disposed partially outside the flared end and extendingpartially along said grooves into the tube interior; and means disposedin said tube to spring bias said tines outward and rearward.
 2. A sinkeras set forth in claim 1 further including a weight disposed in the coneend and extending to a point intermediate the ends of the tube, saidweight being fixed in position.
 3. A sinker as set forth in claim 2further including a rod extending axially through said tube from a pointoutside the cone end to the flared end, said tines being secured to aring, said ring being in the tube and slidable back and forth along therod.
 4. A sinker as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means is a coilspring disposed concentrically about the rod and extending between ringand weight.